Boys Chase Boys
by ProbsNotPerfect
Summary: The team enjoys a day at the beach. Robin is enjoying the view. Of Wally. Oh no its BIRDFLASH! If ya don't like it, wash your eyes out with holy water and keep moving along. If you DO like it, this is NOT a one shot. There will be more. Enjoy! Warning: ending ain't happy. COMPLETE
1. Day at the Beach

A day at the beach. That simple phrase sounds good to almost anyone.

The same was true for the members of "the team".

Kaldur would probably never turn down a chance to swim, and who could blame him. He had been a "surface dweller" for so long (not that it was a bad thing), but it must be nice to circle back to what you know. Not to mention he was a deadly force with all that water around him.

M'gann liked the water too, and the sands may have reminded her of home. I wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not, but it never seemed to bring her down. She really enjoyed burying Conner (or being buried WITH him for that matter) and he didn't seem to mind it either.

Artemis and Zatanna had been having a heated volleyball match that only became more intense since we'd gotten out here. Zatanna was always playful, and Artemis seemed to be genuinely enjoying herself too. Sometimes the archer seemed a little tense, but not on days like this.

I was no one to talk though; I'm aware some of Batman's dark demeanor rubs off on me, and I can be a _little_ irritable. Nowhere near as bad as Bats though. Not even close.

I was just finishing up the final touches on my extreme sunscreen coat (believe me, with this skin, you need it) when I noticed a certain speedster had escaped my line of sight. Finishing the back of my legs, I turned to find him reclined lazily in one of our beach chairs, bowl of chips in his lap and an ice cold pop in his hand. His shades rested on his sunscreen covered nose, identical to mine (although mine weren't entirely for blocking out the sun).

He stuffed his face with salt covered chips at a pace that would make a pig uncomfortable. That was Wally for ya, fast metabolism and not afraid to hide it. Do you know how hard it is to have a best friend who is constantly rummaging through cupboards or pulling out candy bars from seemingly nowhere? If there isn't anything for him to eat he gets all grumpy and will ask literally ANYONE for whatever they might have that he can devour.

I've learned to stay out of his way when he gets really hungry; you never know when he'll snap and go cannibal. In the blink of an eye I'd be Robin pie. Acrobatic teen with a hint of Gotham and ketchup on the side. Ketchup doesn't really go with pie, but you get the picture. That boy will eat anything.

It took me a moment to realize that I hadn't stopped staring at him since I'd scanned the beach for him. I doubt anyone noticed. Especially not him. He was just catching rays behind his shades. And he looked damn good doing it.

Oh. Yeah. I might be a little gay.

I found out a year ago a little after I turned 12. My initial attraction was towards one of Bruce's rich pals. I mean come on, rich and handsome, who wouldn't want that. But seriously, it really took me by surprise. I thought it would only be days before I lost control and everyone would be able to tell. I didn't think it was a bad thing, but I just didn't want people to know until I understood it more.

I understand it now and I _still_ haven't really disclosed it to anyone yet. I know I really should at least tell Bruce, but it's….hard. I doubt he'd be mad or ashamed of me or anything, I just don't know how to say it. What if he already knows? What if he knew before I did?

Life issues aside, I still hadn't stopped gawking at my best friend. I can only imagine running my fingers through his messy red hair, looking into those big green eyes, and telling him to CHEW WITH HIS MOUTH CLOSED GOOD GOD.

I hardly noticed (or minded) his lack of manners. I was a little distracted by some of his other attributes. The sun was shining perfectly to reflect on his toned body; I drooled over his pecs and his abs. He looked like he could use someone curled up lying on his chest. As best buds, I'd be honored.

Things had changed a little after I found out. I was so afraid he wouldn't wanna hang with me anymore if he found out, so I tried to keep as straight as an arrow. I'm a bit more confident now, but I'm still reluctant to tell him. I don't want him to think our friendship is just me having a crush on him or something. We go way back. We're bros.

I just enjoy bromance a bit more than the next guy.

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 **I am definitely going to continue this. PLEASE review and follow and all that jazz. Also point out errors if you see them. Its not rude its helpful. Any feedback is greatly appreciated. :) I know its a really short chapter but I just wanted to at least start this. Later ones will be longer.**


	2. Baby Bird

I'd finally stopped drooling just in time to hear Zatanna calling my name. "Hey Boy Wonder! Come join our game!" I turned to face the magician and started making my way over. She held the beach volleyball in her hand, tossing it back and forth. Artemis seemed to be fixing her hair which had fallen loose of its ponytail during their game. God, she had a lot of hair. I don't think I've ever seen her without it pulled back to some extent. It suits her though.

Zatanna, on the other hand, always had her locks free flowing and was sporting a very _ambitious_ bikini. Had Zatara been here, he'd probably have thrown a sheet over her and dragged her home immediately to change. But, he was elsewhere, and on such rare occasions when she was unsupervised by her father, Zatanna could be a bit mischievous.

"I was thinking me and you versus Artemis and Wally." Zatanna twirled her hair around in her fingers and tossed the ball to me. Before I even had the chance to respond, a certain redhead had appeared at my side, a trail of dust behind him. The intellectual side of me pondered if he would be able to turn the sand into glass with enough vibration and heat energy. I mentally tucked that thought away for later.

"No way! Me and Rob against you two ladies." Wally said and reinforced this by putting his arm around me. I leaned into him a bit. I could feel the heat from his chest on my skin; it gave me butterflies. And also a bit of excitement. It was fun to work as a team not just when we were on missions.

Zatanna seemed a little disappointed, but Artemis didn't object and neither did I. Wally and crossed to our side of the court and took our places. I was in the back and he took the front. Artemis took the back on their side and prepared to serve the ball, and then paused. "No using your powers, you got that West?" She aimed a glare at the speedster and he just grinned.

"Yeah yeah Fartemis just serve the ball!" I couldn't help but chuckle at that. What am I, five? Artemis didn't even dignify that with a response and proceeded to serve. I knocked it back with just as much force and Zatanna hit it back, barely over the net and on the other side of the court than Wally. Rather than dive for it, he (clearly using his powers) ran over to it and spiked it back over. Artemis wasted no time in scolding him.

"What did I just say? NO POWERS!" The blonde was getting heated and Wally fed the fire a bit more with his response. "Whaddya mean blondie? I just ran over and hit the ball. It's not MY fault I'm too fast for you to handle. You act like I'm The Flash or something." Wally's overdramatic way of speaking even made Zatanna chuckle a little. He turned back to look at me and I shot him a thumbs up.

Artemis calmed a bit and just rolled her eyes. "Get serious Wallace. Are you afraid two girls will beat you if you don't cheat?" She smirked at Wally and Zatanna put her hands on her hips, following the blonde's sassy attitude. Wally simply stalked off the court for a moment to turn on the radio and leapt back into place.

"Alright Rob! Lets! Get! SERIOUS!" Oh boy. Wally rubbed his hands together and then took and athletic stance, spreading his legs apart and squatting a bit. It made the view from back here even better. He started huffing his breaths like he was running a marathon and wiped imaginary sweat off his forehead. What a dork.

Artemis served again and we went back and forth for awhile, Wally still obviously disobeying the only rule. I'm sure Artemis made some more comments to try to antagonize Wally, but I hadn't really been paying much attention. All my focus had been on my best friend, and whatever pop song was blaring over the radio.

 _Now if we're talking body_

Wally ran to hit the ball that would have been out of bounds. Artemis yelled something back at him and he just chuckled. He had such a cute laugh.

 _You've got a perfect one so put it on me_

The ball came to me. I set it and Wally spiked it over the net. Zatanna returned it only to be denied by Wally who used his superspeed to send flying. My intellectual side momentarily resurfaced, wondering how he managed to transfer his vibrations to the ball so easily. Such thoughts soon left when we high fived and I was momentarily lost in his emerald spheres, as he'd discarded his shades before we'd begun. I wish I could do the same.

 _If you love me right_

Fed up with Wally's shenanigans, Artemis whispered something to Zatanna who nodded, a grin clear on her face.

 _We love for life_

Artemis retrieved the ball and took her place, her expression similar to her teammate's. What were those two up to?

 _On and on and on_

The music faded back into the background as the blonde spoke. "Alright boys, I think we're about even, so this will be our last serve and it'll determine who wins." She raised the ball in her palm towards us, waiting for us to accept.

"I don't know if we're _even,_ but I guess we'll go with it." Wally returned to his super macho man stance to show that he was ready. He cracked his knuckles and even flexed a little bit. He looked like such a doofus. A cute doofus, but a doofus nevertheless.

Artemis nodded and served the ball, but before it could sail over the net, the magician stuck out her arm and called out " _Hcaer fo tuo tsuj!_ " With that, the ball sailed higher, propelled by Zatanna's spell. Wally whipped around to face me and gave me an urgent look. I'd spent enough time with the speedster and been on enough missions with him to get the message. I took off running towards him. He turned away from me and knelt down.

When I reached him, I climbed up his back and leapt off his shoulders and into the air. Being a natural acrobat, I flipped once in the air before smacking the ball back down to the court. Caught WAY off guard, Zatanna dived for the ball and missed by a mile.

But it was my turn to be surprised. I had planned to land on my feet, holding my arms out and then bowing like a true performer. Instead, I found myself in the arms of my best friend. He'd caught me and was currently holding me bridal style. It had already been a warm day, but even the sun didn't compare to the warmth I felt from his body.

"Dude! That. Was. Amazing. I mean I've seen you do stuff like that on missions but never… I don't know. I've never seen it during the day when you aren't beating up some goon." It took everything I had not to swoon. I had impressed my best friend and now he was caressing me in his arms. And we were both shirtless.

Alright Dick. Back to earth.

"It's all part of being the boy wonder." I put my hands up for dramatic effect at _boy wonder_. "And thanks for catching me, but I could have easily stuck that landing." I heard Artemis scoff. If you ever needed someone to tell you when you were being arrogant, she would wether you wanted her to or not.

"Sometimes baby birds fall out of their nests and break their wings. I was just looking out for my peep." I chuckled at that. Peep. Like a bird. But also like a friend. Get it? Hilarious

Pull it together Grayson. He's not that funny. It's easier to laugh at someone's jokes when you are attracted to them.

In the midst of my pathetic internal conversation, I'd just only noticed that Wally was still holding me. He was staring at me too, a look on his face I couldn't quite read.

"Earth to Wally? You gonna hold me prisoner all day?" I asked jokingly. That didn't sound too bad, but the girls were staring too. Wally snapped out of whatever he was thinking and...blushed?

"Oh sorry bro." He casually spoke and set me down. Had he really just blushed? No, it must have been my imagination. I've got shades on so it was probably just nothing.

Still…

"Hey guys! Red Tornado brought Slurpees!" M'gann called from across the beach. Woosh! Unsurprisingly, Wally had taken off at the first sign of food or beverages. I started walking over with Artemis and Zatanna. The archer began running ahead when she saw Wally make off with 3 of the frozen drinks. "Save some for the rest of us, Baywatch!" Kind of ironic since she was running after him, also in her bathing suit.

"That was totally awesome back there! I thought we'd beat you guys for sure. You're just full of surprises, aren't you Boy Wonder?" Zatanna nudged me with her shoulder. I almost chuckled out loud. She'd been pretty flirty for a while now, and I wasn't sure how to react to that. I tried to just keep it as casual as possible.

"Yeah, I'm pretty asterous." Was all I added, stretching my arms above my head. As we reached the others and grabbed our drinks, my mind drifted back to the blush I may or may not have seen on Wally's face. Was he embarrassed that he'd held me for that long? Why _did_ he do it in the first place? Am I just nuts?

I concluded that I'm probably just nuts about him.

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 **Whaddya think? Told ya they'd get longer! If you're wondering about the timeframe, its just sometime after Zatanna semi-joins the team. Before her father becomes Dr. Fate. PLEASE Review, follow, favorite blah blah and point out mistakes to me so I don't look TOO uneducated ;)**


	3. Uncertainty

**OMG its been WAY too long since I've updated this and I'm sorry. A lot of people asked for Wally's POV so here ya go! I've decided I will switch every 2 chapters. Enjoy**

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"Come on, you gotta admit that was pretty funny."

"Shut up."

Artemis just laughed. I don't understand what was so funny about it. It was like laughing at a horrible car pile up. Or making fun of a little kid with cancer for being bald. Or laughing at a burning orphanage!

Ok, maybe that's a bit over the top, but that doesn't mean she should laugh. I'd been soooo embarrassed and Artemis said she could see the blood rush to my cheeks from where she was standing. Lucky for me, Rob had shades on. But he always wore those; they were probably some sort of high tech glasses that enhanced his vision. I MUST HAVE LOOKED LIKE A STOP SIGN.

 _Cool it, West. It's not that big of a deal._ I'd been telling myself that all afternoon, but I didn't believe it. Thank goodness for Red Tornado and his Slurpees. I needed to get as far away from the situation as possible.

"Sometimes baby birdies fall from the trees! I was just looking out for my peep!" Artemis mocked me and broke out into a fit of laughter.

"I said shut UP!" She never missed a chance to make fun of me. And she says _I'm_ obnoxious. I tried to give her my best serious glare, and she must have gotten the message. She came over and sat next to me on the sofa, making herself comfortable. I was too tense to sit back and relax. My mind was racing faster than usual. _Ugh, why do I make such DUMB choices?!_

She must have picked up on how stressed I was though; she wouldn't have tried to comfort me otherwise. "You're overreacting. I don't think he really cared that you caught him and I doubt he saw you blushing. BUT if he DID, then that's a good thing! I've told you before, he is definitely into you. I don't know if he's gay or bi or _whatever_ , but he likes you."

She sounded so certain. How could she know? She hadn't asked him, and all the "signs" she was picking up was probably just our friendship. I can't even remember what all her pieces of "evidence" were. Something about the way he looked at me I think. I don't know, it sounded like that stuff in those stupid teen gossip magazines.

Would she have been able to tell I liked him if I hadn't told her? After today's blunder, maybe. I'd told her when she'd tried to kiss me a while back. Don't get me wrong, she's beautiful, but I had my eyes set on the Boy Wonder. I told her I was bisexual and I figured I'd tell her about my crush too, so she wouldn't feel so rejected. Biggest. Mistake. Ever. She'd always raise her eyebrows at me whenever I'd talk to him or when we'd high five or _anything._

But it's me who's the annoying one. _Totally._

"But what if you're wrong? I know you can't _possibly_ imagine it, but what if? He could be straight and if I tried to make a move it'd totally ruin our friendship." I didn't even want to think about that. Being just friends with the little twerp was hard enough since I wanted SO MUCH more than that. Not talking to him at all? That would kill me.

"Just trust me on this! You need to strike while the iron is hot! He's not gonna wait forever, and I bet he's even more charming without his eyes covered. If you don't hurry, some guy at his school might snatch him up." Ok, she was back to trying to make me upset. Rob and some other guy? I'd be DEVASTATED. It's not like I'm obsessed with him, but he's my little bird.

I was his biggest fan before I was Kid Flash, and when I got to meet him, I felt star struck. That feeling went away, and a new one surfaced. _Butterflies._ He just totally gets me, you know? When I say we're best friends, I mean BEST friends. I don't go around calling all of my friends that. There's only one, and it's him.

It's kinda helpful that I'm such a fast thinker. Things move a bit slower for us speedsters, so I can daydream about running my fingers through his dark, thick hair and not miss a beat in our conversation. I can't even describe how it felt to hold him like that. Just being that close to him brings me a comfort others can only imagine. I want him. I _need_ him. I'd give anything to know he felt the same.

It's the possibility that he doesn't that holds me back.

 **Whaddya think? Great? Horrible? DISGUSTING? Sorry its so short. Next one will be totes longer. Follow Favorite and REVIEW. And point out errors so its not shitty. ;)**


	4. Fear

**I felt like I owed you guys a fast update since it took me so long to post the last chapter, so here ya go!**

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The weekend has finally arrived and I don't think I've ever been this excited and nervous at the same time. Every weekend, the members of the team (or at least those available) all stay at Mount Justice and hang out or train or do whatever. M'gann and Conner already live there, but M'gann has told us before that it doesn't feel like home until we're all there. Supey won't admit it, but you can tell he agrees.

After Artemis pushing me all week long towards admitting my feelings to Rob (it sounds sooo lame when you say it like that), I've finally worked up the courage. I'm not planning on coming right out and saying it; I'm just gonna see what comes out of this weekend. Usually on Friday nights we play videogames until our eyes bleed and then stay awake even later talking about whatever, and it's all I've been thinking about all day.

Just chilling with my bro on the couch. Side by side. Just the two of us. Bowl of snacks on the table. Towers of empty soda cans. Maybe a blanket over us if it gets cold. Maybe if it gets REALLY cold, we'll huddle together. Just for warmth of course. Maybe we'll stay that when we're done. Maybe he'll fall asleep like that. Maybe I won't wake him up.

If I had enough confidence that blondie's predictions were right, we could take out all the maybe's. We'd both be dressed in our pajamas, he'd sit by my side. Real close. We'd share a bowl of popcorn (although I'd get most of it). When the game was done, we'd cover up with a blanket. I would lay back and rest my head on the arm of the couch; he'd put his head on my chest and wrap his arms around me. I'd let myself play with his hair, twisting my fingers around his dark locks, and maybe peel back those sunglasses and meet his eyes for the first time.

 _Snap out of it West!_ I had to physically shake myself out of my own daydream. I couldn't get too ahead of myself. Stay cool. Be yourself.

 _My life is starting to sound like a bad romance movie._

With that thought, I stepped through the Zeta tube and into the briefing room of Mount Justice. I could already hear the sounds of chatter coming from the living room/kitchen area. _Who said they could start the party without me?_ I chuckled to myself as I made my way down the hall. I didn't smell anything burning, so M'gann must not have started cooking yet. She usually made us a snack every Friday. It was kind of like initiation to "Super Team Bonding Extravaganza". That was my omen that something was wrong.

I was about to announce my presence in typical "Wall-Man" fashion when my eyes settled on an extremely unpleasant sight. There, on one of the couches, sat Robin. Just the person I had been waiting to see all day. Next to him sat Zatanna. Right next to him. She might as well have been in his _lap._ Their knees were touching. She was twirling her hair in her fingers, speaking softly to the Boy Wonder. He smiled back at her; I couldn't read his expression thanks to those _damn shades_ , but I'd seen enough.

"Hey Wally! You ready for-" M'gann stopped when I quickly whipped my head around to face back into the hall. I was shaking. Not like vibrating, more like _shivering_. My eyes started to water. _Whats wrong with me?_ My eyes _burned_ as I fought back tears I didn't know where coming. I didn't understand it. Was I really so upset over this little thing? Just seeing that small interaction for mere _seconds_ was enough to send my emotions out of control? Rob and I weren't even together. How had I let myself get so worked up over nothing?

But it wasn't nothing. Just the thought of Rob with someone else had upset me when Artemis brought it up. But now I was seeing it. Everything I had hoped for today was ruined. _Shattered._ I had let myself jump to the worst conclusion over one little thing, and there was no going back. _But what else could it have meant?_

The tears were coming full force now and I ran. Using my super speed I had zipped down the hall and to my bedroom. It wasn't much, considering I had my own room back with Uncle Barry and Aunt Iris, but it had the two things I needed right now. Comfort and a shield. The bed and the door. I threw myself onto the bed and pulled the covers over my head. I had to _calm down._ It felt like my heart had just been grazed by a bullet and it was desperately trying to heal the mark, but it just kept gushing out blood.

I heard footsteps come down the hall and stop in front of my door. _Bang Bang Bang._ Artemis.

"Wally! I know you're in there. Get out here now!" Her voice was full of rage as she continued to pound on my door. I told her to go away and threw one of my shoes at the door. She didn't take the hint. "What is your deal? I know you've been struggling with your...feelings recently. But what the hell? You looked like you wanted to die!" I didn't respond to her. I wished I had stayed home tonight. I wished I'd never told her about my feelings. _I wish I never had them in the first place_.

She spoke a bit softer now."Okay, I know what it looked like, but you have to trust me on this! You could totally see it in his body language that he felt _really_ uncomfortable. I don't know how Zatanna doesn't pick up on it. It's actually kind of sad…" Artemis trailed off and I heard another set of footsteps come down the hall. I used this to my advantage; scrambling out of bed to retrieve my shoe and lock the door. I returned to my bed and sat down, leaning back against the headboard. I stared up at the ceiling, sympathizing with its emptiness.

"Is he ok?" A genuinely concerned voice I knew all too well. _Robin_. _I guess he finally decided I mattered enough to leave his girlfriend._ Mentally beating up on Rob didn't make me feel any better, and neither did the word _girlfriend._

"I think he wants some alone time right now. We should probably just let him have it." Artemis responded casually. I mentally thanked her for urging him _away_ from me. I don't think I could face him right now. I don't even think I can face _myself._

"No way. If _you_ wanna go back and hang out, that's totally fine. But _I'm_ his best friend." Robin's tone was firm, but that wouldn't stop Artemis. She _always_ put up a fight. He was no match for her. I patiently awaited her reply.

But none came, and I was mortified to hear the sound of footsteps walking _away_ from my room.

 _She left me. She just walked away and left me alone with….him. How could she? She knows how I feel. She knows WHY I'm upset. Did she really think it was ok to just leave me here with him? ALONE?_

My anger at Artemis and sadness from before was overpowered with a new feeling. _Fear._ Why was I so _afraid_ to be alone with someone I've known for years? Someone who was supposed to be my closest companion. Why did it scare me?

It wasn't him that truly made me afraid. It was the thought of his _rejection_.

He'd demand an explanation when he saw me like this, and I could think of nothing to say but the truth. What if he laughed? What if it _disgusted_ him? What if he became angry with me? He'd never be my friend again. I couldn't bear it.

I didn't wait for him to say anything before I shouted at him to leave me alone. I heard nothing at first, and I thought perhaps he'd used one of his ninja techniques to slip away quietly. _Wishful thinking._ I heard him slump against the door right before he said "I'm not going anywhere until I know you're ok."

That should have calmed me down, but it _frightened_ me instead.

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 **Whaddya think? Be honest. Is it great, good, bad, or HORRIBLE? Or did you love it so much you can't find the words? XD Thank you to everyone who has reviewed (they make me smile and want to post more) and thanks to all my followers/favoriters for sticking around and giving me feedback. Review follow favorite blah blah blah and point out errors so it looks good.**


	5. Stress

**I'm back! I hope those who were reading when this started are still here and those who are just joining us, congrats! You didn't have to wait! This is back to Robins POV. Enjoy**

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I had been so relieved when I first caught a glimpse of Wally strutting into the living room. He'd looked so happy (as usual) and I _really_ wanted to get away from Zatanna. Ignoring her advances may have not been the best approach. At this point, she probably thought I was flirting back with her, and I don't blame her. I'd been nothing but friendly and really gave no indication that I wasn't interested. Why wouldn't I be?

Well, besides being a homosexual. Heavy on the homo.

I knew I was going to have to deal with that at some point, but this weekend was supposed to be fun, and Wally and I always had a blast. Even if I wasn't hopelessly in love with that doofus, he's probably the funnest guy I know. Sure, some of his jokes are lame, but sometimes that makes them better. Sure, he eats everything in sight, but it's entertaining to watch. Sure, he's got a smile that warms your heart and turns your knees to jelly and it's infectious and…

Where was I going with this?

Regardless, I saw that smile when he walked in. And in a matter of seconds, it was gone. Ripped right off of his face by some unknown force. In its place, an expression that I've never seen. I've seen Wally angry, whiny, sleepy, determined, smug, surprised, confused, gassy, INSANE, you name it. He's a pretty expressive person. But I don't even know a word for the look that wiped away his smile.

And damn it, I wanna know who's responsible.

I might only be 13, but when you're raised by Batman, cowl or not, you develop a sense of maturity. Wally is one of few people that brings out the child in me. He's just got that spark in him that makes you feel alive. And I meant what I said to Artemis, I'm his best friend. And I'm not moving until he tells me what's going on.

I did my best to listen for any movement inside the room. I didn't think Wally was desperate enough to crawl away through the vents, but you can never be sure. All I heard was his breathing. Heavy breaths. A sniffle every now and then. _Why was he hiding from me? Did I do something wrong?_ My mind was racing; working out every possible reason that he might be upset about. I came up with nothing.

I was startled by my own emotions as well. I felt so protective of him. I wanted to seek out and _destroy_ whatever caused him such anguish. I wanted to hold him and wipe the tears away; let him know that as long as I'm here he'll never be sad again. It was almost a motherly feeling. But what would I know about mothering. My mother…

 _This isn't the time for that. Focus on Wally._

I heard footsteps coming towards the door, but it sounded like he was tiptoeing. He must not want me to know he's coming. _You'd think he'd know by now nothing gets past me._ I stopped leaning against the door but made no move to stand up. The footsteps stopped in front of the door and I heard the _click_ of the door unlocking. Rather than opening the door, I heard him trudge back to the bed.

 _Gonna make me do all the work, huh? You're lucky you're cute West._

I got to my feet and opened the door. It took a few moments for my eyes to adjust to the darkness of the room. Wearing shades at all times had several drawbacks. Sometimes I really hated Bruce's rules. I wonder how stupid I must have looked opening the door and then just standing there staring. Wally probably thought I was a creep.

When I could finally see, I found Wally sitting at the foot of his bed. He was looking down at the floor, but I could still make out tears in his eyes. He'd left enough space for me to sit next to him, and that's what I did. There wasn't much space between us, and I felt the familiar warmth radiating from him. I waited for him to speak first, mostly because I really didn't know what to say.

The silence didn't last long before I felt him rest his head on my shoulder. Had he been sobbing uncontrollably, I would have wrapped my arms around him and pulled him in closer. But it was just sprinkling over in Wally land; it seems like the storm had mostly passed. I still wanted to know where it came from. He spoke before I could ask.

"Is it ok if I don't feel like talking about it?" His voice was the same as always, but softer. He sounded almost afraid. Fear was not an emotion I would relate to the speedster. Heck, I'd call him fearLESS. But it was unmistakable. And _no_ it definitely _wasn't_ ok to not talk about it.

"Wally, I've never seen you like this. You aren't gonna get past it if you keep it inside." I tried to sound as comforting as possible and less like I was ordering him around. The last thing I wanted was to sound like I was belittling him. I wanted him to share his feelings with me. I wanted him to know I care.

 _Ok, that was the sappiest thing my brain has ever thought_. _Why does it have to be true?_

He shifted a little closer to me and nuzzled his head further onto my shoulder. _Why was this happening to me?_ Half of me is trying to comfort my best friend, and now the other half wants to _kiss him._ Things were really leaning away from whelmed and towards overwhelmed.

"It's just, my life is all over the place right now. School is coming up soon and Uncle Barry wants me to get a job even though I'm _only_ 15 and with the team I'd be too busy anyway! I mean Superman has a job but he's also Superman and I don't think it's fair to make that comparison but he does anyway and I'm not really a kid so should I change my name to _Teen Flash_ and do I need a new costume and I'm hungry and… I'm just under a lot of stress and I guess it hit me all at once. It's not a big deal really." Wally let out an overdramatic sigh as he finished his spiel. I was detecting some major bullshit in that explanation, but the fact that he lied about meant there was something deeper he was hiding. Maybe I shouldn't push him. If it's really something he wants to tell me, then he will.

"It is a big deal. I don't like to see you sad. That's not the bro I know." I held up my hand for a bro fist and he returned the gesture, taking his head off my shoulder. I was kinda sad that he did, but it meant he felt better and that made me happy too. I got up off the bed and started towards the door, feeling satisfied with operation "cheer up flash kid".

"Rob"

I turned back to look at the redhead. His smile was back, and for a moment, I saw something else in his eyes that I hadn't seen before.

"RACE YOU TO THE KITCHEN!"

I was practically slammed through the wall as Wally zipped past me and out of sight down the hallway. I couldn't help but chuckle at my own expense.

 _Yep, he's back._

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 ** _Whaddya think? Pleaseeeeee review so I know if people care or not. I totally plan on continuing this but I wanna make sure y'all like what ya see! oh and also YJ might get a season 3 exclusive on Netflix. It's totally a maybe thing rn so don't get too excited (even tho I already am XD) favorite follow blah blah REVIEW_**


	6. Team Bonding

**Hey hey hey! Thank you so much everyone who reviewed! And a thank you to all followers and favoriters (thats not a word). Anyway, here is the longest chapter so far and I really hope yall like it. Still Robins POV. Enjoy**

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Despite the rocky start, our team bonding weekend (I don't even remember what Wally officially named it) was already a blast. M'gann made us heart shaped cookies which actually weren't too bad, though I think Zatanna may have helped. Artemis brought "Cards Against Humanity" which is basically apples to apples but for adults. I may be the youngest, but I wasn't the one howling with laughter and almost spitting out their Mountain Dew (do I even need to say it?). M'gann and Conner were really confused about some of the words, and having to explain it made it even funnier. The clone would turn red in embarrassment while M'gann giggled at his side.

Since Wally had already returned to his normal super chipper attitude, no one really mentioned his brief meltdown from earlier. Everyone was just happy to see he was ok. Out of all of us, he was probably the last one I would peg to walk into a room and start crying. I still don't know what to make of it. His explanation was very vague and it was obvious he was hiding something, but he's in a much better mood now and I don't wanna mess it up. I guess I don't have any room to talk about keeping things inside…

"No way. We're not watching a kiddie movie."

"Oh come on! It's such a cute movie and the robot is funny!"

"You want funny? _This_ is gonna be funny."

Picking a movie to watch is never an easy task, and M'gann and Wally were facing off with the top two picks. M'gann wanted to watch some Disney movie called "Big Hero 6" which apparently involves a super smart kid whose parents are dead and he becomes a superhero. Why do Disney movies always involve dead parents? I began to subconsciously wonder if my life was a Disney movie.

Wally's pick seemed a lot better. It was called "Deadpool" and although Batman would not approve of such actions if that guy was real, I still thought it would at least be funny to watch. Even when he was Bruce Wayne, Bats was always pretty strict about things I was doing and an R rated movie would have earned a big thumbs down. Not to mention our card game from earlier. _Oh well. He's not here._

Zatanna had joined sides with M'gann. Superboy, although reluctant to leave the martians side, agreed with Wally's choice of movie. Both sides were currently trying to persuade Kaldur to join them, and he looked kinda overwhelmed. I'd join them eventually and vote on Wally's side, but I was currently at the fridge, struggling with my own debate. Mountain Dew or Cherry Dr. Pepper?

I eventually decided on Dr. P when Artemis entered the kitchen. She started some popcorn in the microwave and then leaned against the counter. Artemis always amazed me with her ability to constantly look flawless. It was clear she wasn't rich, (of course I knew this to be fact, Bruce had given her a full ride to Gotham Academy) she never wore expensive clothes and she wasn't super girly. But she had her own style. Even though we had to wear uniforms at school, she always stood out in the crowd. I wasn't the only one who noticed either. Barbara always made comments about how the new girl "sticks out like a sore thumb". There were always jocks following her and making flirty comments, but Artemis told those douche bags just where to go. Her hair was always perfect; she didn't really need makeup because she had such nice skin. In a way I envied her attitude. She seemed so sure of herself and didn't let other people get to her.

I'm not really certain if I was staring at her or not; I have a tendency to analyze people and that often leads to staring. Of course she wouldn't know if I was or not. That was one of the positives of wearing shades or a mask all the time. That, and Wally couldn't see my puppy dog eyes whenever he did anything cute (which was always).

"So, Wally seems to be back to his usual annoying self. Never thought I'd be glad to see that." Artemis glanced over at the speedster who was currently playing rock paper scissors with M'gann to see who got Kaldur's vote. After losing, Wally used his super speed to snatch the movie away from M'gann and run down the hall. He returned without it and acted as though nothing had happened. Artemis rolled her eyes and grabbed a Mountain Dew from the fridge. She opened the can, took a swig, and turned to face me.

"You must be amazing at cheering people up. What's your secret?"

"When you spend most of your time in a cave, you learn how to brighten things up yourself."

Artemis chuckled at that and took another drink. I glanced back to the rest of our group in the living room, which had become a battlefield. Kid Doofus made the mistake of refusing to retrieve the movie and found himself dodging pillows and couch cushions as M'gann used her telekinesis to send them flying at the speedster. He yelled for Conner's assistance as he leapt over one of the cushions. "I'm not getting involved in this." Was all the clone responded with, giving the martian a smirk. The redhead then started to plead for Aqualads assistance, but was promptly silenced completely by on of Zatanna's spells. He sent a pretty nasty look her way.

I couldn't help but laugh at the way Wally danced around the flying furniture. I waited for Artemis to make a snide remark about Wally not being able to talk. "We should probably go find the movie while the living room is still in one piece." The blonde began to walk towards the hallway. _Hmm. Maybe she only likes it when the other person can go back and forth with her_. I made mental notes about the blondes banter policy as I followed her out of the room.

I figured Wally probably hid the movie in his emergency food stash spot. There's a painting of a beach in the hallway by the library. Behind it, there's a hollowed out space in the wall ( _cliche, I know)_. Batman said there used to be a safe embedded in the wall there ( _but wouldn't tell me what it contained_ ) and that it was removed when they relocated to the watchtower. I told Wally about it and he jumped at the chance for a food stash no one else could raid. I've sworn to secrecy about it ever since (and even used it to blackmail him a few times). Artemis was probably going to check his room, so I'd wait until she was out of sight to retrieve the movie.

"So, did Baywatch tell you what his little meltdown was about?" Artemis interrupted my scheming with her inquiry. I didn't think she would care about Wally that much. I was actually surprised when she was the first one to follow him down to his room.

"He said he was just pretty stressed. I don't know if I buy it though." I tried not to tell her too much. The speedster had a right to a little privacy. _Of course he was comfortable talking to me._ I almost grinned with the thought of being Wally's sole confidant.

"Well, do you have any idea what else might be bugging him?" Artemis looked at me with almost a smirk. She didn't sound like she was really asking. Almost like it was a rhetorical question. _Like she already knew._ I took a moment to reevaluate Artemis and Wally's relationship. They were always bickering and teasing each other. I knew there was some annoyance on both sides but; was there more? Was it…... _flirting?_

I almost ran into the blonde archer when she stopped in the middle of the hall. We weren't at his room yet so I had expected her to continue. But I should've guessed it. We had _of course_ stopped right in front of the beach painting. Artemis removed the painting and grabbed the movie from atop a stack of wrappers, replacing the painting once more. I couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy. _I thought it was our little secret, "Baywatch"_. I began to walk back with Artemis to the living room. More like stomping actually.

"I'll take that as a no." Artemis hadn't lost her mysterious tone. I had unintentionally ignored her question. I wanted to ask her a few questions of my own, like when _my_ best friend told her about the hiding spot that _I_ showed him. I refrained and kept my cool (as per usual, I'm the whelmed type) and just shrugged in response. As we approached the living room again, we heard the voices of our friends welcoming someone. I didn't expect anyone else to be coming. Artemis and I exchanged confused looks and quickened our pace a bit.

I was surprised to see Roy standing in the living room. He was currently talking to Kaldur, devoid of his Red Arrow uniform. It was kinda weird to see him dressed so casual like the rest of us, especially since we don't see him as often as we used too. He was wearing grey sweatpants and a dark blue tank top that seemed pretty tight on him. Probably for showing off his muscles ( _yes, I noticed)_. Before I could say anything, Artemis fumbled with the movie and dropped the case onto the floor. It slid across the tile floor of the kitchen and smacked into the side of the counter. She looked really really REALLY embarrassed.

 _So much for always being so sure of herself. I need to work on my analytical skills._

"Wow Artemis, you had about as much control with that movie as you do with your bow." Roy rolled his eyes and began to walk towards the plastic case. Artemis snapped out of whatever daze she was in and returned to banter mode. "I guess I was just in shock that you would stoop to _our level_ and join in our kiddie movie night." She moved to grab the dropped movie as well and and reached it at the same time as Roy. I breezed past them both, not wanting to interrupt their tug of war/shouting match. _Why is there always conflict around here?_

The couch had been reassembled and I'd planned to take a seat next to Superboy and M'gann (mostly to avoid Ms. Magical Flirty Pants), when Wally grabbed my arm and yanked me towards the kitchen. I didn't resist ( _who would?_ ) and watched as he grabbed a fistful of popcorn from the bowl. "Dude, I gotta show this app on my phone." He shoved the popcorn in his mouth with one hand and got out his phone with the other.

"I swear if this is the corn hub thing again.." I rolled my eyes and Wally almost choked on his popcorn from his laughter. He'd thought it was the most hilarious thing ever and he sent me pictures of corn for like a week after, no doubt in tears laughing all the while. _He's such a dork._ After regaining his composure and the ability to breathe, he instead moved to stand beside me and held his phone out in front of us. "It's live face swapping! Uncle Barry and I did this all morning." I smiled at how easily I could picture the two of them wasting who knows how long with something like this. They're both so smart, but they have the same sense of goofball humor that you could sometimes confuse for flat out _idiocy_.

Wally's plan was thwarted when he realized it wasn't going to work very well with my shades. "Can't you take those things off just this once?" He pouted at me like a little kid. It was really hard to tell him no, but I knew Bats would _freak._ _There were enough things we were doing today that he wouldn't approve of._ "You know the answer to the already Wally. I wish I could." I tried to sound as sincere as possible. I really meant it though; I loved the look in Wally's big green orbs, and it'd be like meeting face to face again for the first time.

"Aw come on! We're supposed to be "bwest fwends" but I don't even know your eye color or your real name!"

"Wally I-"

"I won't tell anyone else! I swear!"

"Batman would kill me."

"Ok fine. Forget the name. At least take off the glasses. Honestly I'm not convinced you even have eyes at this point."

"Is that so?"

"Yep. I bet it's like a radar or a camera and Batman remote controls you."

Wally set his phone down and grabbed both of my arms, moving me around like a puppet and making robot noises. I tried to suppress my laughter and stay serious. _Does anyone else see this moron?_ I yanked my arms free and jabbed him in the stomach. "Well I'm not convinced there's not a trash compactor in there." Wally responded by shoving more popcorn into his mouth and purposely chewing WAY louder than necessary. He picked up his phone again.

"How about I take them off at super speed, take the picture, and then put them back? Its face swap so it's not like I'll be able to see it very well." He didn't relent in his effort for this dumb picture. I think it was less about the picture itself and more about getting to take off my glasses for a split second. _Did he create that whole plan just for that?_ _I guess there's no harm in it. Batman won't know and you really won't be able to tell. Sigh, I can't say no to him._

"Alright, but make it _fast._ " He jumped for joy and started hooting, pumping his fist up in the air.

 _D O R K_

He held his phone out in front of us and before I knew it he'd snapped the picture and my shades were back on. I had to readjust them a bit since Wally basically _slapped_ them back onto my face. I felt at ease looking at the picture. My face was so contorted after being swapped with Wally's, and he'd been making some ridiculous expression.

"See, what I'd tell ya? And it looks like you _do_ have eyes after all!" He saved the picture and slipped his phone back in his pocket. He then turned and (catching me way off guard) threw his arms around me and pulled me into a bone crushing hug. "Gee, thanks robby wobby. I knew you'd trust me. We'll be fwends forever!" He began to rock me back and forth like a baby. I pretended to be annoyed with the gesture.

In reality, I hoped he'd never let go.

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 **Whaddya think? Tell me! Reviews bring sunshine into my life and make me want to post more. I wanna hear from you guys! Favorite and follow and blah blah blah. (also guest reviewer who gave me a suggestion, I totally might use that :D)**


	7. What Feels Right

**Back to Wally's POV. Enjoy**

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I was more than a little irritated that we were going to watch M'gann's stupid baby movie. After this was done, Rob and I were _so_ going to watch Deadpool. I don't care how late it gets. I'll keep smacking him every time he dozes off if I have to. I don't care how cute he is. It's against the rules to fall asleep early.

At the same time, part of me was eager to return to my bedroom. I'd made a _major_ score tonight. I never thought in a million years I'd be able to convince Rob to take off his shades. Sure it wasn't exactly how I'd planned it, but I was able to do some quick thinking. Pretty sly on my part actually. Tricky. Crafty. _Evil._ Bird boy might think the face swap was the only thing that went down while I was moving at super speed, but the Wall-man has a few tricks up his sleeves.

I took two pictures. One with face swapping awesomeness, and one without. Just a regular photo. I didn't feel even the tiniest bit of guilt and I LOVED IT! I didn't have time to see the picture without exposing my plan, so that would have to wait until later. I thought about excusing myself to the bathroom or something to look at it, but I don't trust myself. I'd be so excited and giddy I wouldn't be able to stop myself from making sly remarks about it. Casually working his eye color into my sentences and being not subtle at all. But at the same time, I didn't want to wait anymore. _The suspense is worse than this movie._

Kaldur put the movie in and took a seat next to Roy who was glaring across the room at Artemis. She of course offered an even nastier look back. I guess she had to be extra salty to make up for her little accident earlier. Ever since I came out to her she's dropped her guard around me a bit, and I've noticed how her attitude changes when Roy comes around. She won't admit it to me (and responds _violently_ when I suggest it to her), but I can tell she's got feelings for the guy. I guess she wasn't prepared for his gun show. I wonder if Rob ever feels that way looking at me…

You know, assuming he's into me at _all._

I decided that it was probably best to ignore my feelings for tonight, considering that earlier they caused a massive meltdown that I do NOT intend on repeating. I know that isn't how it works and you can't just ignore the way you feel, but I can try. It's better than being in denial like the blonde archer sitting beside me. She may have turned away from Roy towards the screen, but her face still showed a trace of the scowl from earlier. I figured she's probably angry at herself more than anything. I'll definitely be hearing a rant from her after this.

Rob was on the other side of me, and I'd planned to keep a fair amount of space between us. Being super close to him wouldn't help me with trying _not_ to think about him that way. I immediately ditched that plan when Zatanna decided to seat herself next to him. I didn't talk to her much, and that made it easier for me to dislike her. And as much as I hated to admit it, those feelings were driven by the malicious force that is _jealousy_.

I usually don't care when other people talk to Rob. I talk to other people too. That doesn't mean we aren't still best friends. Who cares? I'm not clingy. But something about Zatanna made me more than just clingy. Always twirling her hair around her finger and batting her eyelashes. "Boy wonder" this and "Boy wonder" that. I was bad before, but after her little stunt from earlier, it had…. Escalated. Considerably. I wanted her to _get_ the _fuck_ out of here.

"The boy in this movie is a little nerd just like you!" Zatanna squealed. Robin smiled and made some remark about how he hasn't ever invented anything. _She's so dumb. Rob is a genius hacker and he's pretty smart all around, but that has nothing to do with this science lab shit. She's just looking for something to say because he_ clearly _has nothing to say to her._ Just like the picture, I felt no remorse for my hateful thoughts about Zatanna. I had to physically restrain myself from rolling my eyes every time she spoke to him. Which was often. That's another thing I didn't like about her. _She never shuts the fuck up._

"So wait, none of them actually have superpowers?"

"If he's rich why does he work as a sign twirler?"

"So that girl basically just has wheels on her feet."

"Wait, who is this old guy again?"

No one else seemed as annoyed as I was with Zatanna's incessant chatter. Kaldur was never annoyed with anything and the two archers were still too busy pretending not to like each other to care. I wasn't expecting much from M'gann and Conner who were currently in cuddle city. But Rob was right next to her, so he _had_ to be annoyed. Right? It wasn't just me. It couldn't be. I tried to gauge Robin's reaction from out of the corner of my eye. Not being able to see his eyes made things difficult, and I wasn't seeing a whole lot. But she scooched closer to him and I did catch something.

His smile flickered and he fidgeted a little. There it was. Artemis was right. He was completely and totally _uncomfortable._

I wasn't even watching the movie anymore. Zatanna had gotten too close to Rob for my likings and now it was clear he wasn't enjoying it either. Sure, him not being into her didn't automatically mean he was into me...but if Artemis was right about that, could she have been right about everything? All of my previous doubts melted away, even though a part of me knew this was irrational. I couldn't accept all of Artemis's claims as fact just because of one little thing. However, it was barely an hour ago that one little thing had brought my whole world crashing down. Briefly of course. We speedsters don't tend to dwell on things.

Well here we go. Change of plans. Ignoring my feelings obviously wasn't going to work and now I didn't feel the need too. Why should I? He's right here. What have I got to lose? Our friendship? No. I wasn't going to lose that. I wasn't going to lose anything. My mind was made up. He has to like me. It just makes sense. He's only 13 so he's probably just too scared to say it. _It's alright Rob. I think it's cute that you're nervous. Why wouldn't you be? I guess I_ am _extremely stunning and charming._

I wasn't about to let this new found confidence go to waste. Not sure of exactly what to say, I decided that actions speak louder than words. I shifted closer to Rob and put my arm around him. Not like I usually do. Not in the friendly way. This was the I-want-you-closer-to-me way. He didn't resist, but didn't lean into me either. Hesitation? _I'll fix that._ I leaned in close to whisper in his ear. "You're blushing, baby bird." Not a hint of sarcasm in my voice. I smirked at him, watching his reaction. If he wasn't blushing before, he was now. _The tables have turned Rob, the tables have turned._

He opened his mouth to say something back, but seemed at a loss for words. _Speechless as predicted._ His embarrassment only fueled my hunger for him. He was always cute, but something about seeing him like this made him even more desirable. Maybe it was because I was in control. Well, if that's the case, I've got a few more demands. Those glasses? Off. And while we're at it, let's get rid of the rest of our clothes too. _Ok maybe not that far. Yet. Well. Maybe._

My thoughts were _rudely_ interrupted by Zatanna ( _of course_ ) asking Rob to show her where the chips are. Robin was snapped out of his trance and got up with her, walking together to the kitchen. I was thankful the kitchen was basically the same room as the living room so I could keep a close eye on that _witch_. It almost upset me how easily Rob was able to compose himself. He didn't even look back at me. _Little jerk_.

I was expecting Zatanna to continue being a blabber mouth after she'd already gotten the bag of chips she'd desired, but instead she was talking less and _doing_ more. The bag of chips rested on the counter where she'd placed it so she could grab both of Robin's hands to swing his arm back and forth with hers. They were practically waltzing around the kitchen when she quickly pulled him closer, closing the distance between them. At this point, most of us had turned around to observe them in the kitchen. Apparently enjoying the spotlight, the little witch looked Robin right in the eyes and before he could protest, gave him a peck on the _lips_.

 _Oh. Hell. No._

M'gann giggled and there were various "ooooooh" sounds from everyone else. I felt Artemis grab my hand. I only turned to look at her for a second. She gave me a sympathetic look and searched for sadness in my eyes. There was none to be found. I wasn't sad. I was _furious_. And, more importantly, I was determined. I jumped out of my seat and stormed into the kitchen. I easily breezed past the magician and found myself in front of the acrobat. He was looking down, not meeting my gaze. I knew what he felt and I wasn't going to let this girl take advantage of how sweet he is. I knew what he wanted. _I wanted it too._

I wrapped one arm around his waist and made him look up at me with the other. His shades drooped a little, and I looked directly into his eyes for the first time. _Looks like I wouldn't need the picture after all_.I captured his lips with mine in a passionate kiss, hearing several gasps from around the room. I didn't care. This was what felt right.

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 **I'm ok with ending it here but I do have a few more ideas. Whaddya think?**


	8. Here I Am

**This is the FINAL CHAPTER and honey the ending ain't happy**

 **If I followed the pattern this should be Wally's perspective but its not**

 **This is Robins POV**

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Here I am, spending time with all my friends. Having a good time. Watching a movie and stuffing my face with junk food and chugging carbonated drinks. Here I am being pulled into a kitchen by a girl my age whose intentions I know all too well. Here I am dancing around with said girl while the wickedness pours from her eyes and mouth as she stares at me and grins. Here I am getting a peck on the lips from that wicked girl, embarrassing me enough for one night. And yet, it doesn't end there. Here I am, watching in horror, as this redheaded boy with the smile I adore approaches me. Here I am, being forced to look him in the eye. I don't see that smile anymore. All I see is evil. Lust. A savage hunger. Here I am being pulled into yet another kiss, longer and harder. Here I am hesitating, worried by the gasps from around the room.

Here I am. Pushing him away.

 _Why? Isn't this what you wanted?_

I don't know who that voice in my head is but it's the only thing I can hear. Everything else is ringing. The look on Wally's face is somewhere between confusion and betrayal. I want to apologize to him, but I currently seem incapable of processing words. Or doing anything, besides shaking. I don't even spare a glance at Zatanna or anyone else in the room. I'm trying really hard to focus but the room won't stop spinning. I feel nauseous and sweat is _pouring_ off of me. I don't dare take a step to keep from falling over. Quick thinker that I am, it still took too long for my liking to figure out what was going on.

I'm having a panic attack.

This isn't something that happens often for me. I can only remember a few instances where it happened in the past and it never took me by surprise. I can anticipate these things, because I know what sets me off. It's only ever happened before on the anniversary of my parents death, but only when I've _allowed_ it to. I can feel it starting whenever I replay the events of that day in my mind, so I suppress that until I'm alone. It might sound stupid, but it's the only way I can cope. Bruce's string of therapists were easily fooled that I was fine. I have always been able to take care of things myself.

But I'm not alone now. They're all here. Watching me. Seeing this weakness in me for the first time. It must be obvious at this point. Even from 20 feet away you could probably see me shaking and my deep breathing. Why isn't anyone saying anything? Don't they care? Are they just too shocked? No. They're all in the kitchen now. Lips moving. I can't hear what they're saying but they look concerned. I need to focus. I don't _need_ them for this, but it's too late now. They're already in.

"I need to sit down" Is all I manage to get out. I don't take any of the hands offered to me and push past them all as I say this to sit down on the couch. I stare off at a point in space, breathing in and out. Just keep breathing, and it'll be over soon. Someone sits next to me, but I don't look to see who it is. They grab my hand, but I pull away. Can't they see I need to concentrate? They can't touch me or it's going to make it harder.

 _They're gonna think you're a freak, if they didn't already_.

The voice isn't leaving and it's rattling my skull with every word. I ignore it to the best of my ability and keep focused on that same point in space. Breathe in. Breathe out. As usual, I'm already recovering. The ringing stops and I can hear everyone else around me again. The nausea hasn't left and I'm still sweating like a pig. I can't believe I let this happen. I could have done something to stop one or _both_ of those two. I guess I never considered that being kissed like that in front of everyone would cause this kind of reaction from me.

Then again. Zatanna's wasn't as bad. I'd been embarrassed then but I wasn't in a state of _panic_. I didn't feel all this anxiety until that speedy _bastard_ decided now was a good time to mess around with me. I felt as though I was a prey and he was a sadistic predator, toying with his meal before devouring it. I was already uncomfortable with that oblivious bitch bubbling around me all night without Wally touching me and whispering horrific things to me with _everyone_ else right there. I never expected him to outright _kiss_ me in front of everyone but here we are.

 _But that's what you wanted._

No it's not.

 _You wanted him to like you._

Yes. I didn't want him to play with my feelings.

Here I am, arguing with the voice in my head. Thank god I hadn't said anything out loud. I heard M'gann ask if she should try and help with telepathic powers, and thankfully Superboy provided a negative response. Turns out the person next to me was Aqualad. I feel kind of guilty for pulling away from him now. _He_ hadn't done anything wrong. _He_ wasn't the one playing mind games with a 13 year old for his own amusement.

 _Where are all these vicious ideas coming from? Isn't Wally your friend?_

The voice had a mocking tone to it, like it was happy to see me reach this conclusion. But it all made sense to me now. I finally understood it. Regardless of whatever upset him earlier, why would he rub himself all over me and cuddle me only to dash away at the last minute? He told our secret spot to Artemis who was probably his girlfriend or at least _fuck buddy._ That's why she was acting so strange. I felt as though she knew something that I didn't and she _did._ That awful girl was in on the whole thing. They both probably sat around and laughed at how gullible I was.

Everything was so clear to me now. He was always so friendly with me it was borderline _flirtatious_ and it was on purpose. For fun. As a joke. That's all I was to him. A joke. Something he could point at and laugh about. _Ha ha._ And to think I wanted to _apologize_ to him. How could I have been so blind? So STUPID?

Watching me squirm on the couch must have made him _horny_ so he decided he wanted some action. If I hadn't stopped the kiss, who knows how far he would have gone. Touching me and making me look like his little boy toy. Was he gay? Bi? Something else? It didn't matter because he was only interested in making himself feel good. Using me to boost his ego and put himself sky high. Am I really that naive? Tears formed in my eyes as the shaking and sweating faded away leaving an emptiness and an upset stomach.

I stood up and slowly started walking out of the room. Aqualad stood up and reached out his arm to stop me but I evaded his grasp and turned to face him. He looked more worried than I had ever seen him. More worried than on our most dangerous mission. Behind him, M'gann comforted a crying Zatanna while Connor appeared indifferent and Roy looked uncomfortable. I didn't feel like explaining anything to them right now, but I didn't want to say nothing. As far as I could tell they weren't in on the joke at my expense, so I shouldn't hold any hostility towards them.

"I'm sorry. I'm going home. Don't worry about me. I'll be fine." It wasn't very convincing but it was the best I could do. I didn't wait for a response from anyone before I hurried to the Zeta Tubes. I heard voices coming from the briefing room where the tubes are located and for once, I prayed it was the sinister voice inside my head.

 _Nope. Guess again._

Of course it was the only people missing from the living room. The two offenders themselves. Artemis and Wally. What a perfect couple. Both despicable enough to deserve each other. I was already in front of the Zeta Tubes before they noticed me. I could have made it without them hearing me at all (slipping away quietly is something I excel at), but I wasn't ready to leave yet. Just before I stepped through to be teleported back home, I turned to look directly at both of them. Artemis was more startled than Wally and was too shocked to say anything, but that _douche bag_ had _something_ to say. I didn't give him the chance or the satisfaction.

All I gave him was both my middle fingers before being transported away.

* * *

 **Hope you enjoyed the story. Sorry the ending wasn't happy. Thanks for reading :)**


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